


The Sound of the Gate Opening

by uniqueafternoon



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: AU, Arima as parent, F/M, Family, Friendship, Gen, Parents, Slow Build, parenting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-18
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-08-09 13:00:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 4,773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7802830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uniqueafternoon/pseuds/uniqueafternoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arima wants to leave something lasting behind. He wants a successor. He finds a boy to adopt.</p><p>The boy's name is Kaneki Ken.</p><p>[Arima adopts Kaneki, and everything changes.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A beginning: you can run on for a long time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Caroandlyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caroandlyn/gifts), [fineinthemorning](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fineinthemorning/gifts), [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts), [macrauchenia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/macrauchenia/gifts), [pseudocitrus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pseudocitrus/gifts), [notitlesapply](https://archiveofourown.org/users/notitlesapply/gifts), [aradian_nights](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aradian_nights/gifts), [TimelessTears](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimelessTears/gifts).
  * Inspired by [The Ghoul Lullaby](https://archiveofourown.org/works/4968571) by [Caroandlyn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caroandlyn/pseuds/Caroandlyn). 



This is how it begins:

Arima catches a butterfly. He lets it go free. He thinks about creatures in cages. He sends a request to meet with Tsuneyoshi.

* * *

 

Tsuneyoshi is not surprised when Arima asks for a formal meeting. Arima was---and still is---the best of the Sunlit Garden, after all.

Tsuneyoshi _is_ surprised when he hears Arima say, "I want a successor.''

"You're still a teenager.'' 

"I'm almost middle-aged,'' Arima says quietly. And then, almost as if it was an afterthought, he continues, "And this will make me a better soldier. To have someone I can teach . . and to have someone I can leave behind. ''

That last sentence is said almost in a whisper.

"None of the other Sunlit Garden children are good enough?''

"It's not the same." And Tsuneyoshi understands.

"Very well," Tsuneyoshi says.

* * *

 

Arima visits an orphanage the next day. He is, above all else, a soldier trained to read ghouls. People are not so different. They both have the same body language. Arima immediately picks out a boy reading by the side.

"Ah, Kaneki?" the caretaker says. "He's a good boy. Quiet. His mother passed away, and his aunt brought him here."

There's a kind of formlessness to Kaneki to Arima can already sense. The boy has few friends at the orphanage. He has good concentration: he's been reading his book for the entire time Arima has been there. He's quiet and listens to authority.

Arima sees one thing in Kaneki:  _malleability_.

Arima adopts him that same day. He is determined to leave something behind.

 


	2. Kaneki's training: may your wishes all come true

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arima begins to mould his successor.

Arima doesn't _quite_ know what he meant when he said that he wanted a successor. He knows what Tsuneyoshi would have thought: a military successor, an apprentice to whom Arima could pass down his skills. But Arima doesn't want a military successor. He wants to leave a legacy, but not like that.

He wants someone who can be free of V, who can escape this cycle of hatred. And he wants . . . someone to care for. Like a normal human would.

* * *

 

"Erm, what's your name?"

 _I need to train Kaneki to be more assertive_ , Arima notes inwardly. Outwardly, he replies, "I am Arima Kishou. You will be staying with me from now on. Do you understand?"

"Yes?" Kaneki replies, rather uncertainly.

"I'll give you a book on adoption," Arima says. "It will help you understand your situation. Read it, and then ask me if you have any questions."

It's always best to be direct, after all. Minami taught him that.

He really wishes that she didn't have to die. That normal high school life was fun. But as much as Arima would like to raise Kaneki like that, he knows it's not possible.

Kaneki is in Arima's care. The leaders of V will expect a soldier. Arima will have to produce a soldier. A ghoul investigator. And even if things could be otherwise . . . Arima knows only one way to raise a child, and that's the same way that Arima himself was raised.

Kaneki will be a soldier, whether he realizes it or not.

Arima wonders if Kaneki will forgive him when Kaneki realizes.

* * *

_Arima is very kind to me!_  Kaneki thinks.

He's taking care of Kaneki. He speaks in short, clipped sentences, but that's alright. There's never any ambiguity with what Arima says. And after school, Arima has lots of fun things for Kaneki to do!

Kaneki likes his life very much.

* * *

Arima has arranged many things for Kaneki to do. Kaneki goes to school. When he's not in school, Arima has arranged for him to learn dancing, so that he has balance. He learns fencing to train his timing.

Kaneki learns _kendo_ as well, because Arima will one day pass Yukimura to him, and it's best if he learns to use it early. He goes to drama class to learn how to be more assertive. He learns aikido, because it will come in handy when Kaneki inevitably has to fight ghouls.

He learns the cello as well, because Arima is whimsical like that. It won't help Kaneki against ghouls, but life has small pleasures. 

* * *

 

There are no televisions in Arima's apartment. There is one laptop, but Kaneki doesn't use it. What Arima's apartment  _does_ have in abundance is books. Since there is nothing else to do, Kaneki reads them. He starts with Sunzi's  _The Art of War_ , goes on to Musashi's  _The Book of Five Rings_ , and then to  _The Romance of the Three Kingdoms_. Arima has books on warfare, the history of warfare, strategies, martial arts, chess, mathematics, cooking, formal logic, sociology, psychology, linguistics, computer science, and many other fields.

Arima has no literature in his apartment, apart from literature connected with warfare. He sees no point in fiction.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Martial arts and dance:** Bruce Lee was the 1958 Hong Kong cha-cha champion; the training of the Sacred Band of Thebes included dancing. There is a strong connection between the ability to dance and the ability to do martial arts. See the TvTropes page "Dance Battler" for further details.


	3. The son: are you my father?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arima wonders how to raise Kaneki. And Kaneki wonders how to think of Arima.

Kaneki is quiet and obedient, as Arima expects: that's why Arima picked him. There are no temper tantrums involving picky eating, packing up rooms, or homework. All goes well until the day Arima asks Kaneki to practice fencing with him.

Arima has seen Kaneki fence in class: Kaneki is just above average. He's overly defensive, but he does make an effort to attack the opponent. Right now, with Arima, he's only parrying and waiting.

 _Why isn't Kaneki trying to attack me?_ Arima thinks. And then he decides, _This has to stop._

"Kaneki?"

"Yes, Arima?"

"Why aren't you attacking?"

"Erm . . . are you  _fine_ with me attacking you?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well," Kaneki says hesitantly, "it's better than to be hurt than to hurt others, isn't it?"

Arima is speechless for a moment. He doesn't know whether to laugh at the fact that Kaneki thinks he might actually be able to even _touch_ Arima, or to let his jaw drop at the passivity in Kaneki's voice. 

He does neither and instead says, "Those aren't the only options, Kaneki. This is just practice. I'm not going to hurt you, and you're not going to be able to hurt me."

As they resume practice---with Kaneki being just _slightly_ more inclined to attack now---Arima realises that he has no idea how to raise Kaneki.

* * *

Arima is reading an old favourite---the _Strategemata_ of Frontinus---when Kaneki asks him, "Erm, Arima?"

"Do not use 'Erm' when you're talking. It can serve as a useful way to make people underestimate you. It can draw attention to you subtly---but in most cases, it's best to sound confident. Using 'Erm' undermines that. Now, ask me again."

"Arima?"

"Yes?"

"Are you my father?'

There must be a strange expression on Arima's face, because Kaneki quickly backtracks and says, "I know you're not my biological father! You're not old enough! Erm, I just meant if I should treat you like my father  _now_ . . . if I could call you my father."

"I'm not old enough?" Arima has the urge to smile, but he suppresses it. "You are right in that I am not your biological father. But it is not important what you call me."

"Confucius says that when language isn't in order, social chaos results. If I'm not calling you right, won't that result in chaos?"

"That's very good, Kaneki. And you are right. Can you express Confucius's claim in a conditional?"

". . . If language isn't in order, social chaos will result?"

"And the contrapositive of that is?"

"If social chaos doesn't result, language is in order."

Arima is silent for a time, then says, "I leave to you what you wish to call me."

"Alright then, father . . . erm, can I call you dad? Or switch between the two?"

"Ask me again, properly."

"Can I call you dad?"

"Yes."

"Okay, dad!"

Arima makes an effort to smile at Kaneki (because it feels like the right thing to do at that point). When Kaneki jumps up on the couch and hugs Arima around the waist, smiling feels a little easier.

* * *

Arima has never had a father figure in his life. The person who might best fit that description is Yoshida, the kindly old man who taught him how to wield Yukimura with two hands. The first manual on parenthood that comes to mind in raising Kaneki (and the best description for how Yoshida taught him) is the Byzantine war manual called _Maurice's Strategikon,_ which talks about how a general should behave. A general must live as simply as his soldiers; he must be concerned for their safety; he must give them orders calmly. In short, he must be like their father.

Well, that's not very helpful: what does a father _do_?

* * *

The next day, Arima buys two books on parenting. Arima is nothing if not diligent, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Confucius:** The relevant passage from Confucius can be found in Book XIII of the _Analects_.
> 
>  **Strategemata:** For a rough idea of the _Strategemata_ (written by Frontinus, who lived from c. 40--103 AD), here are some topics covered in Book I (of IV): concealing one's plans, finding out the enemy's plans, leading an army through places infested by the enemy, distracting the attention of the enemy, and dispelling the fears inspired in soldiers by adverse omens.
> 
>  **Contrapositives:** An example of a _conditional_ in logic is "if I'm in London, then I'm in England." The contrapositive is "If I'm not in England, I'm not in London." From this you can see that a conditional is of the form "if P, then Q." Its contrapositive is of the form "if not Q, then not P." In classical logic, the conditional is true whenever the contrapositive is true. This isn't always the case with counterfactual conditionals, but a full treatment of this would go too far afield. Those with the requisite logic background should go to David Lewis's _Counterfactuals_ (1973).
> 
>  **Yoshida:** The name "Yoshida" is comes from two people: Yoshida Kenkō, who wrote _Tsurezuregusa_ (which everyone should read), and Yoshida Josetsu Masahiro, who was once head of the Niten Ichi-ryū school of swordsmanship.


	4. The unfairness of God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arima fights the One-Eyed Owl, and realises the fight was . . . _wrong_.
> 
> [Or, Arima is sharp enough to know the difference between the One-Eyed Owl and the Non-Killing Owl. This has consequences.]

Life doesn't stop for Arima. Arima still has missions; when he's out, he leaves Kaneki in his apartment. Arima wasn't lying to Tsuneyoshi. Having Arima there has made him a better soldier, now that he actually looks forward to returning home.

One day, Tsuneyoshi personally calls him for an emergency mission. The first sentence Arima hears is, "The One-Eyed Owl is attacking the Second Ward again, and we need you to stop him."

* * *

As Arima is rushed to the second ward by V, he looks over the One-Eyed Owl's file.

It's the third time the Owl is attacking the Second Ward. The Owl has recovered from the damage dealt to it by Kuroiwa. Arima will have to use whatever quinques are on the site.

Arima knows the secret to success is  _preparation_. Arima has quick reflexes, a fine quinque, and an ability to read movements that is second to none. But his main weapon is the sheer amount of information he has on his opponents. If Arima knows what they're going to do, he can counter it before they do it.

* * *

As Arima arrives on the scene, he simply says, "I'll have to borrow these." Then he takes up two quinques, and steps up to fight the Owl.

* * *

As Arima leaves the scene---after a hard battle with the One-Eyed Owl---he's as polite as ever, and says to the investigators standing in awe at the side, "You'll need a new quinque."

He only allows himself to collapse once he's in V's car, being transported back to his apartment. He should be feeling triumph. _He ripped out a kakuhou from the One-Eyed Owl._ It will be a powerful quinque.

But his victory feels hollow, and he doesn't know why.

* * *

As Arima steps into his apartment, Kaneki rushes at him and says, "Dad! I missed you!"

Arima smiles at him (these smiles are getting easier all the time), and says, "Kaneki, I am very tired. Please make me some green tea. Genmaicha. You know where it is."

"Sure!" Kaneki chirps. And as Kaneki busies himself, Arima staggers over to the couch and begins to think.

The battle with the One-Eyed Owl was more difficult than usual. Arima had to push himself to the absolute edge to fight him. And it was worse because the information he had on the Owl was  _wrong_. Arima kept expecting the owl to favour the right, as the files said. This owl favoured the left. It was also slower than Arima expected, but had greater force behind its blows. Arima had to adjust his technique to compensate, and that took valuable time.

V is always reliable. How could the information about the Owl have been so wrong? 

And as Kaneki brings him the tea and he takes his first sip, he suddenly knows the answer with certainty:  _He wasn't fighting the Owl. He was fighting an impersonator._

But then . . .  _who was he fighting?_ And why would someone want to impersonate the Owl?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The **title** of this chapter comes from how an investigator described Arima in Tokyo Ghoul:re 21.
> 
> "Even the least religious people have moments they come in contact with God. That is the moment when an overwhelming talent presents itself for you. That is when I saw God. That is when I saw the unfairness of God."
> 
> Many people compare Arima to God due to his overwhelming ability---but I think his ability is due in part to the amount of information Arima has an agent of V. 
> 
> **Genmaicha** is a type of green tea with roasted brown rice, first drunk by the poor since the rice serves as a filler. I think it serves well to characterise Arima.


	5. Kaneki meets Touka: the lights surrounding you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arima receives IXA, and Kaneki makes a new friend.

Arima is called in the next day for a short meeting with Tsuneyoshi.

"Kaneki? I'll be leaving now. You can play in the park while I'm out---just keep your phone on you, alright? And be back by 3.00."

"Sure thing, dad!"

And they both head out.

* * *

 Tsuneyoshi has a small smile on his weathered face as he greets Arima. "Congratulations."

"I hope I performed to your satisfaction."

"You did. And now, I have a reward for you. I heard you had to face the Owl with some borrowed quinques."

It's a statement, not a question, but Arima says, "Yes, I did."

"That . . . is unbecoming of an investigator of your skill." Tsuneyoshi slides a briefcase over to Arima, and then says, "This was my own personal quinque: IXA. It is versatile; it has both offensive and defensive capabilities. It has both a shield and a mode change. Use it well."

"Thank you. I will."

"And once the quinque you took from the Owl is made, you will have a powerful set."

"Yes, Chairman."

The meeting seems like it is (thankfully) over when Tsuneyoshi says something which chills him to the bone.

"Oh, and Arima? I look forward to meeting your ward. V is interested in him."

* * *

Kaneki is having so much  _fun!_ He met a girl and her brother, they played tag, they built sandcastles, and they played swordfighting with sticks after Kaneki mentioned fencing. (Their faces fell after Kaneki mentioned his cello, so he doesn't bring that up again.)

And all too soon it's 2.55 and Kaneki says to them, "Hey, I have to go now. But I want to meet you again! What's your name? I'm Kaneki Ken! And today was fun! You should come over to the apartment, and then your parents can meet my dad, and we all can try fencing together!"

The girl looks a bit taken aback by Kaneki's torrent of words, but she there's a small smile on her face as she says, "I'm Kirishima Touka! This is my brother Ayato. And I had fun, too. I'll go and ask my parents if one day we can visit you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And _now_ the plot begins!
> 
> (My favourite moment is TG:re is when Sasaki says, "The Arima squad will be in charge of Cochlea's defence.")


	6. Mado's Debt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mado's intuition didn't help him at all.

_I have been ordered to bring Kaneki before Tsuneyoshi_ , Arima thinks, with a growing sense of hopelessness.  _And he wants to see if Kaneki can be trained as a ghoul investigator._

Arima has been trying to keep Kaneki from V at all costs. He knew it would have to happen eventually: that's why he's been giving Kaneki all those lessons. But for it to happen  _this fast_ . . .

But his orders are clear: to bring Kaneki in to CCG headquarters, and to see how much potential Kaneki has to be a ghoul investigator.

 _There was no escape for me_ , Arima thinks. _There never was. But . . . I will make an escape for Kaneki._

First, he will need allies.

At that moment, he hears Mado Kureo say, "Arima? May we talk?"

* * *

 

Kirishima Hikari hears her children rush into the house before she sees them, because they're shouting and laughing.

"Mom! Look what I learned today! This is called a lunge!"

And then Touka stretches out her back leg and lunges at Ayato with a stick---she pokes him with it, and Ayato pretends to be mortally wounded.

"Aaarrrrrggghhh! I'm dying!" Ayato says, as he collapses on the floor.

That's the moment when Arata arrives, carrying some parcels. Touka immediately runs over to him, and says, "Dad, we had much fun today!"

"Yeah!" Ayato says, his face lighting up. "There was this boy named Kaneki at the park, and we played catch, and he asked us over to visit, and can we, Dad?"

"Well, I think it's a good idea." Arata says. "I don't think Hikari and I can go, but why not bring some food when both of you go over?"

Hikari rolls her eyes and says, "You just want to practice your cooking, don't you?"

"You see right through me."

Seeing his children so happy makes him happy . . . and makes him hope.

* * *

 

Arima and Mado are in the canteen, but neither of them have any food in front of them. The investigators are keeping a respectful distance from their table. Arima is about to ask why when Mado says, "They've nicknamed you the God of Death."

"Who?"

"The investigators. For what you did yesterday. With the Owl. The rest of us could do nothing. Not Shinohara's skill, not Kuroiwa's strength, not my intuition."

Arima is about to speak, when he hears Mado say in a choked voice, " _Thank you . . ._ "

And he can see that Mado is crying, even though Mado's head is bowed.

"Thank you . . . for defeating the Owl yesterday. I know it was your duty. And it was mine as well. But I failed. The Owl killed my wife. I swear . . .  _I'll bury that One-Eye_ _myself_ . . . "

Arima is silent and lets Mado compose himself. And after a few minutes, Mado says, "I have a daughter who has lost her mother. I am a man who has lost his wife. And . . . thank you for avenging her, in part. I am in your debt."

Arima says nothing. He does not know what to say.


	7. The long-tongued liar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arima is tired. He fails to notice many things.

Arima is driving back when he suddenly realises there's something wrong. His right eye seems . . . deficient. A bit of testing---closing the left eye, and then checking how the right compares---confirms it. This is yet another worry. His prowess in fighting depends on his information he has as an agent of V, his ability to read people's movements, and quick reflexes. If his eyesight fails . . . that affects his ability to read people's movements.

Arima makes a mental note to start training his hearing. He cannot afford to slip up. Not when he has to protect Kaneki from V.

The day doesn't get any better. At the doorway, his landlord detains him for a conversation about if he knows anyone who can fill the vacant lots opposite Arima's flat; he's too worried about Kaneki and V to give a proper reply. And when he gets home, Kaneki seems unusually active.

"Dad! You won't believe what happened while you were out! I was at the park, and then I met these two children, and we were playing catch and I was teaching them fencing, and can they come over?"

"Yes," Arima says abstractedly. "I'll be busy, so you might have to handle it yourself. Call them and contact them as necessary. And I may have to bring you to my office soon, Kaneki."

"Great! Now I can see what you do for work!"

And now Arima has to make an appointment to meet the doctors of V, for his eyesight. The day is just . . . tiring.

* * *

Arima is about to leave the house to see the doctor when he sees two children at the door. He doesn't bother to smile at them: he's too exhausted.

Kaneki pops out of the corner, and says, "Hey, Touka! Ayato! This is my dad, A-"

"I'll be going now, Kaneki," Arima says. He's not snapping at Kaneki, but he's close. All the noise is giving him a headache. "Take care of yourself."

"We brought some food," the girl--- _Touka_ , Arima mentally notes--says. She's holding a pot with stew in it. "Would you like some?"

"Leave it on the table," Arima says, ushering the children in and locking the door.

As he goes out, he hears Kaneki say, "No, my dad normally isn't like that---he's just tired lately---"

And Arima feels a slight bit of regret for being so short-tempered.

* * *

After the doctor's appointment, Arima is called to meet Tsuneyoshi again. Arima is patient, but he hasn't gotten any rest since fighting the Owl, and he just wants to  _sleep_. But Tsuneyoshi  _is_ the Chairman, and so - 

"Arima. It's coincidental that you came by today. This is my son, Yoshitoki. He will be handling your missions from now on."

Yoshitoki smiles at Arima. Arima doesn't bother to smile back. Yoshitoki hands him a folder.

"This is your next target, Arima. She's a ghoul in your area. Apart from that, we don't know much about her, not even her name. She has two children. All the relevant information is in the file. Eliminate her using the normal procedures. Her codename is  _Narukami._ "

Arima briefly glances over the information. He's tired and his eyesight is failing; he does not notice  _Narukami_ 's resemblance to Touka.


	8. Kaneki visits the CCG: The winds of changes shift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arima learns that Furuta is no more.

Arima has a pleasant rest for the next few days. Kaneki keeps chattering about how much fun he had with his friends Touka and Ayato, while Arima listens and works through Narukami's file.

"And then after that we all had the stew that Touka brought, except that I ate most of it since they'd already eaten before that! And then we played Snap---it was so fun!"

It's too bad Kaneki is growing up too fast . . . or rather, that V will soon force him to grow up too fast. "Kaneki?"

"Yes?"

"We'll visit my workplace---the CCG--- tomorrow."

"Great!"

Hopefully V will lose interest in Kaneki. Nearly all ghoul investigators are either from the Sunlit Garden, or children who have been traumatised by ghouls. There are very few who become ghoul investigators without those backgrounds. Hopefully they'll ignore Kaneki, since he's from neither of those backgrounds.

But Arima knows that won't happen---just by dint of Kaneki being Arima's ward. And he always knew that, regardless of how much he hoped that wouldn't happen. That's why he sent Kaneki for all those lessons, didn't he?

Perhaps it would have been better if he had never adopted Kaneki at all.

* * *

 

When Arima meets the Chairman, Yoshitoki is there as well.

"Chairman, this is my son---Kaneki Ken."

Arima can feel Kaneki suddenly stiffen in shock, and then relax, and he can imagine the smile on Kaneki's face. It's the first time Arima has called Kaneki his son, after all. It's a conscious decision on Arima's part: calling Kaneki his son asserts a stronger claim on him than calling Kaneki his ward.

V will not take Kaneki from him.

"Kaneki. It's nice to meet you." Tsuneyoshi looks unusually friendly, and Kaneki smiles and bows to him. "I've heard Arima has been sending you for lessons?"

"Yes! For fencing, and cello, and drama. It's all really fun!"

Tsuneyoshi's brow furrows for a moment, and then he says, "Yoshitoki, why don't you take him to see Yoshida? I need to speak with Arima."

Once Yoshitoki leaves, Tsuneyoshi asks, "Arima---why didn't you give him lessons for more practical things?"

"He does have more practical lessons," Arima says, lying smoothly. "He goes for  _aikido_ as well. And it's best not to push children into this too fast---they learn better if they're not overly pressured, and if they feel they're choosing their own path."

"I see." There's a pause, then Tsuneyoshi says, "You have done well, Arima. And from now on, you will report to my son, Yoshitoki. I will remain as Chairman, and he will be Bureau Director. You may go now to see your son and Yoshida."

"Thank you, Chairman."

"And one more thing: Narukami has been sighted recently. This will help you track her down."

Arima leaves Tsuneyoshi with a file and a heavy heart. 

* * *

 

Yoshida looks the same---an old man in brown robes, wielding two practice swords effortlessly. Kaneki is clumsy when trying to imitate him, but at least Kaneki's laughing. Yoshitoki is nowhere to be seen.

"Kishou!" Master Yoshida shouts in greeting, the moment Arima walks into view.

"Master Yoshida."

"Keep practicing, Kaneki. I need to talk to your father for a while." And Arima has to smile, because Yoshida is one of the few people he's comfortable with. "Ah, Kishou. It's always good to talk to you." He settles himself into a chair, groaning in an exaggerated way all the while. "These old bones aren't what they used to be. And you were my best student."

"There was not much competition, Master."

"Oh, some of my students worried me, but you worried me the least. Take Furuta, for example. I expressed my . . . concerns about him. And I believe the Washuu dealt with him. He won't be a problem for us anymore."

"I see. He was always too much of a wild card."

"Yes." Yoshida looks as inscrutable as always, and then he says, "Kishou. About that matter we talked about. I am not long for this world. I will send my grandson to you. Take care of him."

"I will, Master  _Yoshi_ da. It's strange how people in our line of business all have that as part of their names, isn't it?  _Yoshi_ toki. Tsune _yoshi_. . ."

And Yoshida grins at Arima. "Take care of my grandson, whatever his name is."

 


	9. Narukami

Arima brooded on the way home. Kaneki would need allies: people who could shelter him. If the worst happened and Arima wasn't able to protect Kaneki from V, there would need to be others Arima could trust to take care of Kaneki. The Sunlit Garden children were in V's control. The same went for most of the CCG: V could get to them all to easily. Mado was a promising option, though his hatred was blinding him . . .

Ideal allies would need to come from outside the CCG.

* * *

"Kaneki?"

"Yes, dad?"

"How did you like your day at the CCG?"

"I was great! One day, I want to be like you and do all that with two swords, and - "

Arima sighed. "Kaneki, I'll be out tonight. I'll be back late; sleep first. And . . . sweet dreams."

The final pieces had come together with the file Tsuneyoshi had given him.

* * *

Arima was implacable on the hunt. It was what he did best; he hated it, but it was still what he was trained to do. The rain did not trouble him much, although it made sensing Narukami's movements more difficult. But it had not postponed the inevitable.

He now had Narukami cornered in a dark alley. Breathing heavily, she was unable to stand---she had a gash in her side, and she kept slipping on the mix of her blood and the rain.

She drew in a ragged breath, and said, "This is the end?"

"Yes," Arima replied, sombre. "Goodbye." He raised his quinque.

" _Please!_ " she screamed, suddenly. "I have a family. Two children. My husband loves humans. We even brought them food. They visited an apartment the other day and brought stew. We're peaceful. We don't harm anyone . . . "

Her voice trailed off, and Arima looked at her for the first time, and he realised - 

"Your daughter's name is Touka." Arima said flatly. "And your son's name is Ayato. Is that correct?"

Narukami didn't answer, but Arima knew it was the truth by the way her eyes widened in terror.

"No, no, no," she said, trying to keep her voice in check. But Arima could hear the underlying panic in her voice. "Please, not them. Just _kill me_ and leave them in peace."

Arima sighed and retracted his quinque. "You misunderstand. I will spare your life . . . "

Narukami looked up at him, disbelieving.

"But I will need you to help my son."

 

 


	10. When he said, "Go do my will."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arima sets his plans into motion.

Arata was worried. Hikari wasn't back yet, and Hikari  _never_ stayed out late. Then he heard a knock at the door.

"Hikari," he said. "Thank goodness. I was wor-"

He paused as he took in the scene in front of him: his wife, pale and drawn and haggard, leaning on a  _Dove_.

"Arata Kirishima," the Dove said. "My name is Arima Kishou. I apologise for hurting your wife. We have much to talk about."

* * *

Kaneki knew that he was meant to sleep, but he couldn't help staying up sometimes waiting for Arima to come back whenever Arima was out hunting ghouls. Arima always told him to sleep, but . . .

There was a time when Kaneki was asleep, and then he heard the door open. Through the crack in his door he saw Arima come in, pause, and take off his white coat tiredly. It had bloodstains all over the left side. But when Kaneki looked at Arima the next morning, Arima didn't have a scratch on him.

And so Kaneki knew that Arima was good at hunting ghouls. But he was still worried. And when he was worried, he stayed up.

Just then, he heard the door opening, and knew Arima had returned. He always knew when it was Arima, because the only sound when Arima came back was the door swinging open. Arima himself didn't make any sound. He always walked silently. And Kaneki couldn't help himself - before he knew it he had ran over to Arima and started hugging him.

Arima tensed for a moment, then relaxed, and said, "Kaneki?"

"Yes?"

"From tomorrow onwards, you'll be having new neighbours. Touka and Ayato will be shifting into the flat opposite ours."

"Oh! That's great! We can play together, and you can try their stew - it's really great! - "

"Kaneki, I . . . appreciate you hugging me. But I'm tired, and need to go to rest."

And Kaneki hugged Arima just a bit more tightly, then went to bed. He was tired too, after all.

 

**Author's Note:**

> This story is inspired by the writers mentioned above. I have enjoyed their work, and this is my way of passing on my enjoyment. The specific idea of Arima-as-parent comes from Caroandlyn's work. The works of the specific writers which I have in mind (picking one from each) are:
> 
> The Ghoul Lullaby by Caroandlyn,  
> Reformation by fineinthemorning,  
> Chrysalis by lellyphant,  
> The Metamorphosis Quartet by macrauchenia,  
> Red Child by pseudocitrus,  
> A Pound of Flesh by notitlesapply,  
> Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa by aradian_nights, and  
> Research and Smoothies by TimelessTears.
> 
> The style is inspired by Kurt Vonnegut. The short chapters are inspired by lellyphant's "Chrysalis,", Kurt Vonnegut's "Cat's Cradle," and Richard Kaye's "The Mathematics of Logic." The title comes from Tokyo Ghoul:re 083 - I Heard the Sound of the Gate Closing.


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